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Municipal Court
Freddie Polhill Law and Justice Complex
29 Park Street
Orange, NJ 07050
973-266-4161

Eric Pennington, Chief Judge
Theodore Stephens, II, Judge of the Municipal Court
Sherry Montalvo, Municipal Court Administrator
Eilean Paglucci, Deputy Municipal Court Administrator
Lallah Williamson, Deputy Municipal Court Administrator
Daniel Hogarty, Assistant Administrative Analyst

Municipal Court Organizational Chart (PDF)

Summary of Major Department Functions

• Appoints Judges & Provides Staff To Operate & Maintain The Municipal Court Of The City Of Orange, Essex County In Accordance With NJSA  2A:8-1 Et Seq.
• Handles Traffic Violations That Occur In Orange
• Hears All Violations Of Orange Ordinances, Including Code Enforcement And Disorderly Persons Offenses

General Description

The Municipal Court has jurisdiction over cases within their territorial jurisdiction, including violations of municipal ordinances, violations of motor vehicle and traffic laws, disorderly persons offenses, petty disorderly persons offenses, and other non-indictable offenses except where exclusive jurisdiction is given to the Superior Court.  Cases that are more serious are turned over to the Essex County Prosecutor in Newark.  Municipal Courts in New Jersey are created by legislation pursuant to the state constitution, Article VI, Section 1, paragraph 1.  They were established through the passage of N.J.S.A 2A: 8-1et seq.  Municipal Courts are Courts of record.  Practice and procedures in the Municipal Courts are governed generally by New Jersey Court Rules.  Part VII, insofar as is applicable, and unless otherwise expressly provided, also controls activity in criminal, quasicriminal and penal actions. 

The Revised Ordinances of the City of Orange provided that the Orange Municipal Court and the judges shall possess and exercise the jurisdiction, powers, functions and duties, which are or may be conferred by law and the applicable rules of the Supreme Courts of New Jersey (R.0. 2:2-58).  Court rule 1:33-1, 2 sets forth the supervisory authority of the Chief Justice, Administrative Director of the courts and Assignment Judge of the Superior Court over the operations of Orange Municipal Court.

The Municipal Court of the City of Orange has trial jurisdiction over those offenses enumerated under N.J.S.A., where the necessary waivers have been executed.  This means the Court may try these offenses without a jury and render a verdict.  Although the Court does not have trial jurisdiction over indictable offenses-crimes, for which the defendant is entitled to indictment and by trial by jury, the Court does possess jurisdiction over preliminary proceedings, which follow arrest on an indictable offense.  These proceedings include arraignment, and the setting of bail for certain offense indictable complaints for offenses committed within the City of Orange filed in the Orange Municipal Court and the defendant is brought before the Central Judicial Processing Court for arraignment, and, where appropriate, the setting of bail.  The Orange Municipal Court recently introduced videoconferencing for use in conducting the arraignment of prisoners.

The Municipal Court is automated, utilizing the Statewide Automated Traffic System (ATS), and the Automated Criminal System (ACS).  The Police Department can access the system on-line to make inquiries and verify warrants.  New Jersey Police Departments can access valuable information by utilizing this computer to view the records of the Orange Court as well as all other Municipal Courts throughout the State of New Jersey. 

The ATS/ACS system is connected with the New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicle Services for prompt reporting of court dispositions and suspensions of driver’s licenses of defendants who fail to satisfy traffic summonses, or criminal disorderly persons offenses. New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicle Services also reports to the Courts through the ATS system, and other Division of Motor Vehicle agencies throughout the United States, supplying information on the owners of vehicles that have committed parking violations or are in contempt of court on any traffic or criminal matters.

General Information

Municipal Court Sessions:  Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays

• Court begins at 9:00 a.m.
• Video Conference Arraignments: 1:00 p.m.

Mondays:  Domestic Violence, Traffic, Criminal Trials, Video Conference, and Regular Prisoners

•  Every 1st Monday (Spanish) Domestic Violence

Wednesdays:   Backlogs, Fines, Truancy, Code Enforcement Cases, and Prisoners.

Wednesday Night:   Traffic Only.

Thursdays:   Criminal Trials, Traffic Trials, Video Conference, and Prisoners.